I am going to assume that it’s in everyone’s best interest that I am able to be online while in Europe. Admit it – you want to read my updates and tweets about pay toilets and queuing and baguettes while I’m gone. There are other reasons to stay connected too – the internet often tells me where I am when I can’t figure it out on my own, and the Find My iPhone app will be fantastic if (when) the three of us get separated. Plus, Instagram. If I had internet, you could follow my adventures on Instagram and it’d almost be like you were in London and Paris with us. There is absolutely no downside to my having 3G in Europe.
So, how do I make that happen?
I know I need to get a UK sim card; one that has a data plan. Hell, it can only have a data plan for all I care – I don’t use the phone locally; I’m sure not gonna use it while having Fancy Adventure Times overseas. I’ve heard from several sources that I’ll need a sim card cutter to make the card micro sized, if I’m not able to get one already made tiny. That can be Amazon’d or eBay’d with ease, but it’s the getting a pre-paid UK sim card part that is confounding me – how do I make it go? I’ve been directed to several UK carriers that have EXACTLY what I need (by the way, $7 for unlimited data is disgusting – we are getting so ripped off in Canada), but they don’t ship internationally or accept non-UK credit cards.
Help!
What’s the best way for me to go about getting three iPhone 4 UK sim cards with data only?
ten points for gryffindor. also, everyone always laughs at the stuff I have - but who else would just so happen to have a gay rainbow lightning bolt sticker available on the off chance I ever needed to dress like Harry Potter for 15 seconds? no one. only me. i win this exact situation and everything else forever.
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Why do you need it before you go? I just pick up SIM cards in London when I get there. Go to Oxford St, there are 3 kajillion outlets. O2 is a good place to start.
I don’t necessarily need it before I go – I was planning on shipping to the place we’re staying in London anyway. I’d just like to have it sorted before we go because I am anal retentive and tend to worry about things I don’t have overly planned. :)
Yeah, I’ve heard 3 is good too (that’s a carrier over there). Whenever I’ve been there, I personally didn’t bother. There are so many Starbucks and McDonalds around I just stood outside one and got my Internet fix whenever I needed it. Worked out OK for me.
When I went to Paris last year I sucked it up and didn’t use my phone for anything except the call to the people who owned the apartment we rented. For everything else I brought my netbook and used the free wifi. I kept reading that you had to unlock your phone to use sim cards from different countries and my techie know-how doesn’t extend that far. I have heard that it’s pretty simple to just buy the cards there, though.
I have a factory-unlocked iPhone 4 :)